Homelite 14" from Home Depot

[Johno Geo]

IMHO.....Husqvarna, Stihl are real tools. They cost, but they last.
I have been tempted by Big Box low price Trimmers and Leaf Blowers.
What I bought was a major maintenance item, that never worked when I really needed them! I never bought one of their chain saws. The pros told me they were "Boat Anchors". I went back to Stihl, and threw the junk away.
This has been my experience.

 

[Johno Geo]

I have had a Stihl Farm Boss 028 for 15 years.
A truly magnificent machine!!

 

[LD1]

Wrong. First stihl I had lasted for 24 years with occasional professional service (once when I accidentally put chain oil in the gas tank - my bad). Bought a 14 inch Home Depot Homelite: ran for 6 months, replaced it five years ago with a fourteen inch Stihl, going strong. Didn't learn though. Bought an 18 inch Homelite. Started once and never started again. Got tendonitis in my shoulder from trying. Had a small engine guy look at it. He got it to start twice. Never cut a single piece of wood with it. Some guy was looking for free chain saws to fix on Craig's list so I gave it (and he 14 inch homelite) to him. Boy was he disappointed. He was looking for a 20 year old Stihl to fix. I got a Stihl farm boss with a 20 inch blade about 4 years ago. Heavier than the pro-saws the same bar size and power but less expensive. Has worked without fail. As for husqvarna, I am suspicious now that they have moved out of saw shops and into box stores. Can't comment on the other brands.

BTW, leaving gas sit in any small engine is a bad idea. Saves repair bills (and your generator starts when the lights go out) to either never run them or run them frequently. Infrequent running is an exercise in frustration in MHO.
Mf

You obviously didnt read MY post OR the two I quoted.:confused2:

No WHERE in Either of the 3 Posts is homelite mentioned even once.

Once guy said stihl is the best. The other said echo is the best. All I said is that is not true and that there are several brands that are top-notch. Like husky, dolmar/makita, solo, etc.

You directly quoting me and telling me a lame story about bad luck you had with a box-shop homelite and how great your stihl was, well.....DUH. But you can substitute stihl for husky, dolmar, echo, solo, etc. So I am not sure why you are singling me out, and then posting your "evidence" for me being wrong about some cheap box store saw when I was talking about nothing but PRO grade saws:confused2:

 

[Mudfarmer]

"Just a few unfounded and biased posts from guys that have probabally NEVER ran any saw brand but the ones they currently own. So take the above advise with a grain of salt."

Just quoting ya'. By the way isn't this string about someone wanting advise on the worth of homelites at a box store? I am comparing Stihls to homelites - lighten up.
Mf

 

[LD1]

"Just a few unfounded and biased posts from guys that have probabally NEVER ran any saw brand but the ones they currently own. So take the above advise with a grain of salt."

Just quoting ya'. By the way isn't this string about someone wanting advise on the worth of homelites at a box store? I am comparing Stihls to homelites - lighten up.
Mf

You said I was "WRONG".

Wrong about what?

The two guys I qouted, one said stihl is the best, the other said echo is the best. In truth, neither is true. And neither of these guys have probabally ever ran anything BUT the saw they claim is it best.

That is all I am saying. I didn't enter into the "homelite" discussion, because I have never owned or ran a box-store saw, so I cant comment. My comments were directed at the two I qouted.

And by you saying WRONG to my statement, does this mean you agree with the two posters I qouted? You cant actually agree with them both, can you??

And yes, a stihl is better than a homelite any day of the week. But so is ANY well know pro-grade saw. Thats not news.

 

[JoeinTX]

Just an update.

Last weekend I had some dead limbs come down from way up high in my tall oak trees so I got the Homelite out with some satisfaction that I was going to get to use my latest "toy" a little more and see how it kept up. Got it out and cranked and cranked and cranked off-and-on on the darned thing for almost a half hour. Arms tired, starting to cuss it, and thinking I'd have to come back on TBN and eat crow about the budget chain saw I had bought. Fooled around with it one last time before I decided I was going to toss it in the creek..........and finally realized I hadn't been fully extending the choke lever the entire time. Boy, I am an idiot. Pulled it out, cranked twice and it fired up and we went to work.

Spent 30 minutes working over a couple of fairly good sized dead limbs and the little saw worked just like it should.

I can confirm one complaint I'd ran across about this particular saw. The chain oiler does seem to work well while you're running it, but, it does leak too much when the saw is sitting idle. My resolution for this was to only partially fill the reservoir and keep an eye on it and then store the saw with as little oil in it as I could to prevent any more leaking.

Hey, for a $100 saw, if this is the worst I have to worry about then I think I'll be okay.

 

[rdbigfarmboy]

Just an update.

Last weekend I had some dead limbs come down from way up high in my tall oak trees so I got the Homelite out with some satisfaction that I was going to get to use my latest "toy" a little more and see how it kept up. Got it out and cranked and cranked and cranked off-and-on on the darned thing for almost a half hour. Arms tired, starting to cuss it, and thinking I'd have to come back on TBN and eat crow about the budget chain saw I had bought. Fooled around with it one last time before I decided I was going to toss it in the creek..........and finally realized I hadn't been fully extending the choke lever the entire time. Boy, I am an idiot. Pulled it out, cranked twice and it fired up and we went to work.

Spent 30 minutes working over a couple of fairly good sized dead limbs and the little saw worked just like it should.

I can confirm one complaint I'd ran across about this particular saw. The chain oiler does seem to work well while you're running it, but, it does leak too much when the saw is sitting idle. My resolution for this was to only partially fill the reservoir and keep an eye on it and then store the saw with as little oil in it as I could to prevent any more leaking.

Hey, for a $100 saw, if this is the worst I have to worry about then I think I'll be okay.

Take it back they have a 1 year warranty. I use the sharks from TSC and Walmart. Use em for a year and buy a new one. Sell the used one on ebay. I never pay for a saw repair and never pay over 100 for a good saw.

 

[ultrarunner]

The oil leakage was my complaint... made a mess whenever I had it in the vehicle.

Thankfully, the Echo replacement is dry.

 

[elfmidi]

Just a few unfounded and biased posts from guys that have probabally NEVER ran any saw brand but the ones they currently own. So take the above advise with a grain of salt.

Truth is, there are sever manufactures that make an excellent saw at a reasonable price.

Dolmar, Stihl, Husky, Echo, Solo, J-red, Makita, just to name a few.

To say one brand is it BEST is completely stupid and un-true. There are several factors that come into play. And a certain brand may be better than others in certain classes, but certainly not ALL size classes.

But hey, you guys are set in your ways. Who am I to suggest that the grass may be greener on the other side. Those of you who are brand loyal are really missing out. Those like me who only care about how the saw performs, and NOT what name is on it, :thumbsup:

My Poulin pro 20 inch lasted for 30 cords with nice maintenance. It fell apart! The New husky 455 R is a really nice saw that runs circles around the PRO. Use it or loose it! I cut 15 cords a year and need a decent saw! If you cut enough wood to judge what is best then please tell us all! OK??

 

[arrow]

My Poulin pro 20 inch lasted for 30 cords with nice maintenance. It fell apart! The New husky 455 R is a really nice saw that runs circles around the PRO. Use it or loose it! I cut 15 cords a year and need a decent saw! If you cut enough wood to judge what is best then please tell us all! OK??

The only thing I can say to this is that the saws from the sixties and seventies (read Poulin ,Homelite, McCulloch) were a bit behind in the tech department. As years went by, Husky and Stihl and a few Partners and Jonsereds came to the fore with anti vibe and high revs, better ignitions and cleaner running making for a superior work saw. So in this sense, I'd say the modern saws better the older saws. Having had enough saws to see the same model bought previously that was pretty reliable not maintain this reliability with the next exact same model saw, I came to the conclusion that there was no "best". Whether I had a Husky or Sthil or whatever else in my hands, I just needed production and all of the pro saws produced and they all could break down no matter what the brand. Some like a smooth feeling saw, others with the chain tightener on the outside, etc,etc. Things like this are ergonomic preferences but making what's "best" on a personal level. To me, this is purely subjective. I didn't or could not have "saw loyalty". I just needed a working saw for when I needed a saw so I used many brands as a result and thus my mindset.